The advantages of weight-training exercise machines are widely recognized. Conventional weight-training exercise machines may feature single or multiple stations which enable a user to perform one or a variety of exercises for developing and toning different muscle groups. For example, the various stations of such exercise machines may include one or more stations that enable a user to exercise muscles of the arms and upper body using “press,” “shrug,” or “curl” types of movements, and one or more stations for exercising muscles of the legs using “squat,” “press,” or “extension” types of movements. Such weight machines provide the desired muscle training capability in a convenient, safe, and efficient manner.
Although prior art exercise apparatus and methods have achieved desirable results, there is room for improvement. For example, some users may desire to enhance their ability to perform certain movements, such as those movements associated with a particular sport, work, hobby, therapeutic movement, or other desired activity. For example, sometimes a user may wish to strengthen muscles associated with a particular sporting activity, such as swinging a sporting apparatus (e.g. a bat, racquet, stick, golf club, etc.). Similarly, the user may wish to strengthen muscles used in throwing a sporting device (e.g. baseball, shot put, discus, football, etc.), or gardening (e.g. shoveling), or any other desired activity. Although prior art apparatus enable a user to exercise a variety of different muscle groups using a variety of different movements, the standard movements afforded by such apparatus (e.g. press, shrug, curl, squat, extension, etc.) may not closely resemble the actual movements associated with the user's chosen activity. Therefore, exercise systems and methods that more closely approximate the movements associated with the user's chosen activity would have utility.